tThis year, both

Americans and

Canadians go

to the polls to

bestow another

mandate on an

incumbent

administration

or to elect a

new govern-

ment. These

elections offer

citizens an

opportunity to

air their views,

to challenge politicians to explain their plat-

forms and policies and to exercise the funda-

mental rights and responsibilities of citizen-

ship. I take these rights and responsibilities

very seriously; for the first 28 years of my life, I

lived in a South African country where all citi-

zens did not have the right to a vote. I did not

vote in any of the elections during those years

because I believed that to vote under these cir-

cumstances was spurious at best and immoral

in all likelihood.

As soon as I became a Canadian citizen, I

was eager to participate in a free and meaning-

ful expression of my citizenship, and I remem-

ber well my feelings the first time I had that

opportunity. My daughter is now 19 years old

and will be able to vote this summer for the

first time. She has accompanied me to the vot-

ing booth on more than one occasion, and I

have been disappointed that she seems both

cynical and disengaged at the prospect of mak-

ing a decision as a full-fledged member of our

society. But she is not alone; every day I hear

young adults like her and older adults too,

speaking with the same cynicism and lack of

engagement. Regardless of partisanship, what is

your intent in the upcoming election?

As nurses, our numbers alone make us a

formidable force in any election. Health care is

October | November 2004 AWHONN Lifelines 401

Your CountryNeedsYou…

To Vote!

Anne Katz, RN, PhD,is editor of AWHONNLifelines and an assis-tant professor in thefaculty of nursing atthe University ofManitoba inWinnipeg, Manitoba.Write to her atLifelines@awhonn.org

Our voices must

move out of the

staff room and

from behind the

desk and into the

public debate

seen as a major issue facing the administra-

tions of both our countries. So where are the

voices of nurses in the political debate? Why do

we not see or hear nurses speaking out about

disparities in the health care system? I am

aware that the leadership of AWHONN (and

other major nursing organizations) plays an

important role in advising and lobbying on

behalf of our patients and their families.

AWHONN has a great deal to offer various lev-

els of the administration, and we are well rep-

resented in the corridors of power (see Box 1

for more resources). I am challenging the rest

of us to speak up and be heard, not only in the

corridors of power but also at the front door

when those seeking office come seeking our

vote. This is the first level of political engage-

ment. The second level of political engagement

comes from working at a local or regional level

either in support of a candidate or as a candi-

date oneself.

As nurses, we have so much to offer. We are

smart, we are involved on a daily basis with the

important issues facing families in our soci-

eties, and we have a bird’s eye view of the

health care system, its successes and challenges.

As a Canadian, I am acutely aware of the bene-

fits of universal health care coverage, and many

Americans are debating this same issue with

fervor. We also know what factors affect the

health of our patients and thus influence their

health care needs. We can speak about the

importance of adequate social and economic

support of pregnant women, which have

important outcomes in the health and well-

being of newborns. We can speak about the

connection between environmental issues, cli-

mate change and the health of women and

families. Some of us have seen the conse-

quences of illegal abortions and can speak

powerfully of a woman’s right to choose. We

are involved with the health of our own fami-

lies: our young children, adolescents and aging

parents. We bear witness to the challenges of

those who do not have adequate health insur-

ance and the struggles of those who have no

insurance at all. We are exposed to the stories

of all who pass into the realm of our care, for a

few hours, days, weeks or more.

This makes us experts in an important elec-

tion issue. But to influence the outcome, we

must be heard. And our voices must move out

of the staff room and from behind the desk

and into the public debate. Less than 100 years

ago, women did not have the right to vote. To

stand idly by and not exercise this right and

privilege is disrespectful of their suffrage and a

waste of our formidable power. Before Election

Day, let your voice be heard in the debate. And

stand up on Election Day to make your mark,

on the ballot and in society.

402 AWHONN Lifelines Volume 8 Issue 5

Box 1.

Getting Involved

AWHONN’s Legislative Action Centerprovides an immediate, one-stop shopfor:

• Staying informed on essential legisla-tive issues

• One-click contacts to your representa-tives at the state and national levels

• AWHONN’s Position Statements• AWHONN’s testimony on compelling

issues• Links to the News and Views update

from legislative affairs

Act today by going to www.awhonn.organd clicking on “Legislation & HealthPolicy.”